This invention relates to an improved article handling system, especially adapted to progressively and continuously advance a series of articles to and from a plurality of work stations, at which each article, in turn, is halted for a predetermined period of time. An embodiment is shown directed to an ammunition feed system for a battery gun.
2. Prior Art
In U.S. Pat. No. 125,563 issued Apr. 9, 1872 to R. S. Gatling, there is shown the classic modern revolving battery gun. A stationary main cam is in a housing which encloses and supports a rotating receiver assembly which has a plurality of barrels and a like plurality of chambers and bolts. Rounds of ammunition are serially passed through the housing and are handed to each bolt in turn as it passes the feeding station. This principle of operation has become conventional, as shown, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 2,849,921 issued Sept. 2, 1958 to H. McC. Otto and in U.S. Pat. No. 3,380,343 issued Apr. 30, 1968 to R. E. Chiabrandy et al. Another battery gun approach having a plurality of stationary barrels, a like plurality of independent ammunition supplies, and a rotating transfer mechanism is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 563,701, issued July 7, 1896 to E. Wilder. Yet another approach, having a plurality of stationary barrels, a revolving plurality of chambers, and a rotating charge wheel operating within a spiral charging cam track, is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,959,106, issued Nov. 8, 1960 to J. F. O'Brien. Still another approach is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,722,356 issued March 27, 1973 to D. P. Tassie et al. Here a plurality of stationary barrels with respective bolts are fed in sequence by a rotating distributor which was itself fed by a single train of cartridges. Shifting of the cartridges between the distributor and the bolts is affected by an intermittently operated, rectilinear-radially travelling, transfer mechanism.